Correlates of employment interest among adults with schizophrenia

Abstract

Background/Aims: Role functioning is an important part of recovery and psychiatric rehabilitation for people with schizophrenia. However, little is known about why some people and not others return to socially valued roles such as employment. While the demographic and clinical correlates of employment have been extensively studied, little is known about how employment interest forms and develops into actual employment activity. The aim was to compare demographic and clinical correlates of employment interest to correlates of actual employment participation. Methods: A community sample of 255 working-age adults with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder were interviewed about their current employment status and current employment interest. Univariate logistic regression was used to examine the demographic and clinical correlates of both employment interest and participation. Findings: Age, employment history and severity of current hallucinations were associated with both employment interest and participation, while illness severity pattern, illness course, severity of disability, and severity of avolition were associated only with employment participation. Conclusions: Resilience of employment interest to the clinical symptoms of schizophrenia is a promising finding. Those with more severe illness patterns and more impaired functioning can remain good candidates for vocational rehabilitation, because interest and motivation for employment may be unaffected.

A relational perspective of schizophrenia at work

“…This research also contributes to the disability literature by delineating the social barriers and restrictions facing SCZ individuals in addition to physical or cognitive impairment associated with disability. Much of the work in the field of mental illness has focused on individual factors, such as severity of illness and resilience (Westcott et al. , 2017), or organizational factors, such as workplace stigma (Soeker et al.…”

“…Several researchers have referred to organizational- and individual-level issues faced by SCZ individuals (Marwaha and Johnson, 2005; Soeker et al. , 2019; Westcott et al. , 2017).…”

“…Individual resilience may play a significant role in gaining employment. A highly resilient and motivated individual may prove to be a good candidate for employment even with illness pattern (Westcott et al. , 2017).…”

“…Marwaha and Johnson, 2005; Soeker et al. , 2019; Westcott et al. , 2017), a relational lens and a multilevel approach has not been adopted yet.…”

“…Although several studies have identified issues facing SCZ individuals at organizational level and individual level (Marwaha and Johnson, 2005;Soeker et al, 2019;Westcott et al, 2017), a relational perspective may be useful in understanding the interdependence and interconnectedness of organizational factors along with social and individual factors ( € Ozbilgin et al, 2005). As suggested by , to make an impact on diversity management at workplace and to reap full benefit of diverse workforce, approaches applicable to both organizational (micro) and societal (macro) diversity issues should be developed (Cox Edmondson, 2008).…”